Automatic weighing machine



July 16, 194 s. R. HOWARD 2,207,335

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BY Sin-d if, M

ATTORNEY July 16, 194 s. R. HOWARD AUTOMATIC WEIGHING'MACHINE Filed May 12, 19156 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY y s. R. HOWARD AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 Y INVENTOR J1 I? J- QMALJ ATTORNEY my 16, 1m. 5. R. HOWARD 220L885 AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY /ma J. M QAMQLL ATTORNEY J y 16, 1940- s. R, HOWARD 2,207,835

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ld M QLN ATTORNEY J y 1940- s. R.'HOWARD 2,207,885

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed May l2; 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 j? 7 :WENT Q BY \Y (Mew ATTORNEY S. R. HOWARD AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE July 16, 1940.

11 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed May 12, 1936 INVENTOR BY M W (45% QLMQM ATTORNEY s. R. HDNARB; 23%72885 AUTOMATIC EIEIGHING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1955 ll ShesfiS-Sheet 8 ATI'ORNEY Jufly 1%, 1% 5 R HQWARD AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed May 1.2, 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet l0 VENTOR ATTORNEY July 16, 1940- s. R. HOWARD I AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1936 ll Sheets-Sheet ll INVENTOR BY R. Hvw- Q QML ATTORNEY Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE azo'aass' AUTOMATIC WEI'GHING mom Stanley R. Howard, Milton,

Pneumatic, Scale a corporation of Massaclmsct Application May 12, 1936, Serial No. 79,253 1'! Claims. '(CL 249-18,)-

10 others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the weighing machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this speci- .fication.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is asection taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation viewed from the left of 1. showing the driving mechanism; Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation viewed from the right in Fig. 1; Figs. 5 and 6 are front and side elevations respectively of a part of the weighing mechanism; Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the feed hopper with one side removed and some of the parts in section; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper portion of the driving mechanism with some of the parts in-section; Fig. 10 is a section on the line IL-l0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line Il|| of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a plan view of the pawl stop mechanism; Fig- 13 is a rear elevation of a portion of the machine illustrating operating and control mechanism; Fig. 14 is a detail in section illustrating the control and operating mechanism; Fig. 15 is a dia gram to be referred to; Figs. 16, 17, and 18 are detail views of the overload safety cam shown in different positions of operation; Fig. 19 is a detail view of the scale locking mechanism; Fig. 20 is a detail view of the shutter operating cam; Fig. 2i is a detail in ling clutch and pawl stops; Fig. 22 is a plan view of the conveyor; Figs. 23 and 24 are detail views of the safety device on the conveyor. Fig. 25 is a detail in section on the line 25-25 of Fig. 22; Fig. 26 is a detail in front elevation of a portion of the conveyor mechanism; and Fig. 27 is a section on the line 21-21 of Fig. 22.

-Referrlng now to the drawings, in the illustrated machine six duplicate units are 'operatively mounted pon a frame. Each unit includes mechanism for withdrawing fiowable solid ma-' perspective of the controlwm. to. Corporation, Limitetcll, Quincy,

for compressing the weighed load and introducing it into a container.

The various operations of the weighing end of the machine are divided 5 into two separate eration of the machine,

is weighed during and distinct cycles in the opwhereby the bulk load the first cycle and the finished weight is performed during the second cycle, and

the operation of t that before the machine can start upon a succeeding cycle, each unit must have completed all of its own individual weighing operations. When the last scale has made its weight, during the second cycle the material is discharged by all of the 15 units into the mechanism by pressed and delivered into the which it is comcontainers. The

compressing mechanism in the illustrated machine and the delivery of the containers of the relation.

material into the various units operate in timed g0 In the illustrated machine each unit is provided with a scale beam arranged to control the flow of material from the hopper within which a bulk supply of stored. Provision the material to be weighed is is made for controlling the operation of each scale beam so as to enable two weighing operations to be performed by each beam. During the first weighing operation, a

bulk stream and is permitted to scale and upon a drip stream of the material 30 flow from the hopper ontothe completion of this weighing operation the supply is cut ofi. During the secpermitted to flow its preferred the provision scale beam, mechanism material feeding scale beam,

. ond weighing operation, the drip stream only is onto the scale tocomplete the 35 cut off,

a weighing machine having a material feeding means, and control 4 for controlling the operation of the means from the scale beam,

together with operating means for causing these effective counterweight upon the and mechanism for varying the size of the stream of material being fed, together with 50 operating mechanism for making these last mentioned mechanisms function at every other cycle of the machine,

whereby the scale beam, ma-'.

terial feeding means, and control mechanism.

above referred to,

may be utilized to we gh first 5 various units are so related 10 r the bulk load, and then the finished load. The

different features of the invention may and preferably will be embodied in a multi-unit machine, as will be described. In the preferred and illustrated machine the several scales making up the mifitiple weighing machine are controlled in their action by a one revolution clutch which is permitted to make one revolution for each cycle of operation of the machine. The one revolution clutch is geared to the cam shaft at a ratio of 2 to 1 so that one revolution of the clutch will revolve the camshaft one half a revolution. In the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that one cycle of operation will refer to one half a revolution of the cam shaft and that a complete revolution of the cam shaft is equivalent to two cycles of operation with reference to the one revolution controlling clutch. Thus during the first cycle of operation of the weighing machine, the bulk load is weighed, while during the second cycle of operation a relatively small increment of material is added to bring the bulk load to a predetermined finished weight.

Referring now toFlgs. 2, 4, 7 and 8, I represents a storage hopper for the bulk supply of material to be weighed and from which the material flows by gravity downwardly into the bulk and drip stream passages of each unit indicated generally at I2, I4. The combined bulk and drip stream passages are formed within a U-shaped casting indicated at I1 which is secured by screw bolts l8 to a part of the machine frame indicated at I9 and a partition member secured within the interior of theU-shaped casting serves to sub-divide the interior thereof into the drip stream chamberv and the bulk stream chamber. The open face of the U-shaped casting is closed by adjustable plates and the partition member cooperates with a fluted feed drum to form and control the passage of the material into the drip stream chamber. As best illustrated in Figs. '7

and 8, the upper plate is supported upon one arm 22 of a bell crank loose upon a shaft 24, the second arm 26 of the bell crank being provided with a swivel connection 28 through a hole in which a threaded rod 38 is arranged to slidably extend.

' The threaded rod 38 is connected at one end to a lever 32 which is keyed to the shaft, and provision is made for rocking the bell crank on theshaft by a nut 34 engaging one surface of the swivel connection and by a hand wheel 36 screwed upon the-threaded rod and engaging the opposite surface of the swivel connection. A locking wing nut 38 is provided for locking the parts in adiuste ed position. With this construction the operator may individually adjust each plate by screwing the nuts 34.36.28 upon the threaded rod and thereby rock the bell crank upon the .shaft. 'It

' is desirable, as will be pointed out, to provide this adjustment in order to control the flow of goods into the bulk stream, chamber upon rotation of the feed drum. In order to permit the operator to simultaneously adjust all of the plates of the various units of the machine the shaft '24 is provided at one end thereof with an arm 40, see Fig. 2, and the arm! is connected by a-vertically extendedrod 44, the lower end of which passes freely through I a bearing member and is threaded and provided with a nut 46 and hand wheel 41 for effecting vertical movement of the rod. In this manner the operator may simultaneouslyadjust the position of the various upper Plates withrespe t to a vertically moving the rod through manipulation A fluted feed drum is by permitting the scale to perform its second weighof the nut and hand wheel and rocking the shaft 24, and consequently the. bell crank which is seecured thereto, through the rod 30 and arm 32 keyed to the shaft.

The lower portion of the front of the U-shaped casting above referred to is closed by a lower plate 58. As illustrated in Fig. '1 the plate 50 is pivot- V ally secured by a rod 52 to the walls of the EJ- shaped casting and is adjustably secured in different positions by a bolt 53 extended through a. slot in an ear 54 formed upon the outer surface of the plate 50. The bolt 53 is arranged to screw into one of the walls of the U-shaped casting. The flow of the goods from the bulk stream chamber through the mouth or discharge orifice is controlled by a gate member SG secur'ed upon an arm 58 which is arranged to be closed at the completion of each weighing operation. A guide member 58 cooperates with the under surface of the gate and a scraper or wiper cooperates with 80 the upper surface of the. gate, as illustrated in 49 as the drip stream is being fed through the drip stream chamber ll. The fluted drum 49 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow' in Fig. 7, and cooperates with the upper end of the partition member 28 to feed the major portion of the material into the chamber I2, while the material remaining in the flutes is deposited into the chamber I4;

Each unit of the machine is provided with .a scale beam 60 of any usual or preferred construction having the usual counterweight on one end of the beam, and as herein shown having a vbucket 66 suspended upon the second end of the beam and into which the goods are weighed from the bulk and drip stream chambers above described. Provision is made in the illustrated machine for operating the scale beam 60 so as to permit it to perform two weighing operations. The first weighing operation is utilized in wei hing into the bucket 64 the primary load and at the end of'this weighing operation the gate 58 is arranged to be closed entirely whereupon, at the start of the second cycle the drip stream shamher is opened to weigh in the final increment of the material making up the final load in the bucket. After the completion of the bulk weighing operation during the first cycle, provision ismade for resetting the scale and for thereafter ing operation. At the end of the second weighing operation, when final weight has been reached, the gate is again released into a position to close the drip -stream chamber, such position being illustrated in Fig.4. v

In the illustrated machine the counterweight is of a predetermined amount correspondingto the total load, and in order to permit the first weighing operation tobe performed and the scale beam to operate when a livered into the bucket and in an amount substsntially less than the final or total load the scale beam is provided with a spring cooperst- J I 'ing therewith to offset a portion of the countera 111 E88- 4. 5. and 8, 7

weight as. As illustrated bulk load has been tie-g each spring 88 is connected at its upper end to a slotted member or plate 88 having a slot therein through which a pin I8 secured to the scale beam is arranged to extend, and during the first weighing operation the tension in the spring is transmitted to the scale beam by the engagement of the upper end of the slotted member 88 with the pin I8. The lower end of each spring is connected to an arm I2 on a cross shaft 14 extended transversely across the entire machine, and the shaft has keyed or otherwise secured to it a second arm I8 having a latching pin I8 adapted to cooperate with the different holes in a segmental bracket 88 secured to the machine frame to thereby enable varying tensions to be placed upon the spring 88. depending upon the amount of the loads upon which the machine is operated. At the end of the first weighing operation, provision is made for disengaging the spring from the scale beani and for permittingthe scale beam to operate during the second weighing operation under the influence of the total counterweight 82, and as herein shown the upper end of the slotted plate 88 is provided with a pin 82 which is ar- 35 ranged to extend through a slot formed in a link 84 connected at its upper 'end to a lever 88 secured to a cross shaft 88 extended transversely across the entire machine. The cross shaft 88 has secured to it a second arm 98 connected by a link 92 to one arm 94 of a bell'crank pivoted upon a second cross shaft 98; and a cam roller 98 upon the second arm I88 of the bell crankcaoperates with a cam I82 on a cam shaft I84 driven as will be described. Provision is made, as

will be described, for rotating the cam shaft I84 and cam I82 to effect the disengagement of the spring 88 from the scale beam 88 in definite relation to the movements of the scale beam. In other words, at the end of the first weighing operation when the scale beam makes its weight and the gate 88 cuts oh the supply of material, the cam shaft is arranged to be started in its rotation and permitted to continue for one-half revolution. In this manner the spring is disengaged from the scale beam. at a predetermined time after the scale beam completes its first weighing operation. The connection between the link 84 and the slotted piece 88 is as above set forth accomplished by a pin and slot connection, and during the period that the scale beam is performing its first weighing operation, the slotted member 88 will rest against the pin I8 and-will in effect counteract a portion of the counterweight 82. At the end of the first weighing operation, when the cam, I82 has operated through the linkage above described to lift the slotted piece 88 and remove the spring88 from its cooperation with the scale beam 88, the pinattached to the scale beam will be disposed centrally of the slot in the slotted piece 88 (to thereby free. the scale beam so that the operating mechanism does not interfere with the weighing operation). After the spring 88 has thus been freed from the scale beam 88,

the additional eifect of the counterweight 82 operates to reset the scale beam without the necessity of more positive resetting operations.

Provision is made for opening the shutter or gate 88 and as herein shown, see Flgs.'2 and 20, all the gates are opened-simultaneously,"at the beginning of each cycle of operation'of the, machine from a rocker shaft- I I8. The shaft II8 is rocked by a cam II'8 secured to the cam shaft I84 which cooperates with a roller II8 mounted in a'lever II'I secured to the rocker shaft III.

Each shutter opening unit is provided with a lever liked to the shaft H8 and connected to one arm i2I of a bell crank pivoted at I28 in the side of the hopper. The second arm I28 is operatively connected to the shutter arm 88 by a rod I21 and as herein shown the shutter arm is provided with a swivel connection I29 through which the rod I2'I is free to slide. A nut I8I on the end of the rod I21 engages the swivel connection to open the shutter. It will be observed that the cam H3 is provided with two lobes I38 and I88, so that during the first cycle or bulk load weighing operation, the lobe I88 will cause the shutter to be opened to its wide open position such as is illustrated in Fig. 2, and during the-second cycle or final weighing operation, the lobe I88 will cause the shutter to be partially opened, such as is illustrated in Fig. 7, through the connections de scribed. The roller H8 is held against the camheld open by a latching device, as will be de-- scribed, and during the continued rotation of the cam I I8 the connecting rod I2I will slide through the swivel connection I28 to await the next cycle of operation. I

Before the scale beam makes its weight during the first weighing operation, the shutter or gate 58 is held; in an open position such as is illustrated in Fig. 2 by the engagement of a latch I88 with a notch I88 in the pivoted arm 58 upon which the gate 88 is mounted, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 2. The latch I88 is pivoted to the hopper and is normally urged into latching position by a spring I I8, as shown. The latch is connected by a link I I2 to a bell shaped arm I I4 free upon the shaft H8 and the connection between the link H2 and the latch I88 is a sliding connection, and a nut II8 on the end of the link is arranged to engage the latch when the bell shaped arm H4 is rocked in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, as will be described. During the anti-clockwise movement of the bell shaped arm and link, the latter slides freely through the hole in the latch arm I28. As previously stated, the latch I88 remains in latching position to hold the gate 58 in an open position during the flrstweighing operation and the bell I end of which is provided with the movable member of a'standard form of electro-magnet, indicated generally at I28. As will be described, the

electro-magnet I28 is wired to contact members 284 with which a movable contact 288 upon the end of the scale beam 88 cooperates, so that when the scale beam makes its weight at the end of -'the first weighing operation, the electro-magnet I28 is. de-energized, freeing the pivoted lever I28 upon which the roller lock I22 is mounted and thereby enabling the spring 288, attached to the second arm of the bell shaped-lever II4 to cause the lever to rotate in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 2, thereby through the linkage above described, disengaging the latch I88 from its notch I88 in the supporting plate for the gate and permitting the spring 2I8 to swing the gate into a position to close both the bulk stream conduit and the. drip conduit.

After the first or bulk load weighing operation has been completed and 'the gate 88 has been operated to cut or: both, the bulk and drip streams, provision is made for freeing the spring the latch I06 to permit its spring I I to cause the latch to return to a latching position. By reference to Fig. 20 it will be seen that the camI I3 upon the cam shaft I04, which normally is utilized to open the gate 56, is also provided with a second rise I33 of a size suflicient to effect movement of the gate from a completely closed position to a position'such' as is illustrated in Fig, 7, in which the drip stream conduit I 4 is opened and the bulk .load conduit I2 is closed. When the gate 56 has be described following the completion of the final weighing operation, provision is made for dump:

thus been moved into such position, the latch I06 snaps into and engages the second notch I38 in the gate arm, operating to hold the gate in this position to permit the second or'final weighing operation to be completed.

The drip stream then continues tov weigh into the bucket 64 until the final weight has been reached, whereupon the scale beam 60 operates upon movement to open the electrical circuit and de-energlze the electro-magnet I20, and in the manner above described in connection with the bulk weighing operation to cause thebell shaped lever or arm II4 to swing to the right, operating to disengage the latch from the second notch I39 in the gate arm and permitting the gate arm spring 2I0 to swing the gate into a position to close or .cut off the drip stream.

After the scale has been reset and looked as will ing the material from the weighing bucket 64, and as herein shown this is accomplished by a cam 292 on the cam shaft I04 timed tooperate' shortly after the resetting operation has been completed and which cooperates with a cam roller 294 on one arm- 296 of a bell crank, the second arm' 299 of which is connected by a link 300 and throughia pin and slot connection 302 to a lever 304 secured to a cross shaft I journalled in suitable bearings in the machine frame. The cross shaft I10 is provided with a plurality of gate operatingarms 306, one for each unit, and each arm cooperates with a roller 908 on a bell crank 3I0 pivoted. to. the side of the weighing bucket I 64. The second 3I2 of the bell crank is urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 3 and is. arranged to be connected to a gate3I6 constituting the bottom of the bucket which is pivoted to the side of the bucket, as illustrated.

The connection between the second-arm 3I2 of "the bell crank and the gate 9I6 is by a curved arm llfl arranged withrespect to the pivot for the bell crank so as t9 'throwin effect a toggle end of the final weighing operation, the scale beam of each unit is reset and for this purpose lock when the gate is closed and thesecond .arm ofv the bell crank reposes against a fixed stop 220 on'the side of the bucket. During the operation, when the presser foot or arm 906 engages the roll Illit operates tobreak the toggle and through rotation of the -,bell crank against the spring to effect the pivotal opening of the botains bearing against the roll the gate remains i apeny tom of the bucket. As-long as them r aaozese I and when permitted to do so by the operating cam 262 the parts are-returned to bucket closing position by the spring 3I4. The forked lever 304 affords a convenient adjustment for varying the throw of the gate operating arms. After, the goods leave the bucket they are discharged through the discharge chute I40 into packages or containers I45 positioned beneath the outlets from the discharge chutes, and provision is preferably made for compressing the material within the packages or containers, as will be described. After the goods have been dumped from the bucket 64 after having been weighed, they pass downwardly through the discharge chute I40 into ofl'set portions I42 of the discharge chute, and provision is madev for moving individual plunger's I44 down through the offset portions of the discharge chutes in order to compress the material within containers I45 positioned beneath the discharge chute, and the individual plungers I44 are mountedupon a crossbar I46 secured at its opposite ends, see Figs. 1 and 27, to slide members I40 arranged to slide vertically upon slides I50 secured to the machine frame, and the plungers and crossbar are lowered as a-unit by a pair of ,operating cams I52, I54, and raised by a third cam I56. The cams I52, I54 cooperate with rollers I58 mounted upon levers I60 secured to the rock shaft I62 and operate to depress the slide' members I48. The two cams, I52, I64, identical in operation and construction, see Fig. 22, are provided to equalize or balance the pressure of the plungers I44 when lowered into the containers I45. The rock shaft I62 is provided with a cam lever I64 keyed thereto, having a cam roll I66 cooperating with the third cam I56 and the latter operatesto rock the rock shaft I62 to raise the slide members I46 as will be apparent from 'Figs. 1 and 27.

The cams I52,,I54,' I56 are all mountedon a one revolution shaft I66, and provision is made for controlling the rotation of this shaft in timed relation to the operation of the buckets 64' controlling the discharge of the material into .the dischargechutes I40. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 the shaft I10 comprises, as above described, the bucket operating shaft, arid the shaft is provide'ii with a lever I12 connected by'a link I14 to one arm I16 of a bell crank, the second arm I18 01' which is connected to one end of a link I80 and the second end of the link is connected to a pawl stop I62. The latter is arranged to be withdrawn from the path if the tail of a pawl I04 mounted on a pawl carrier I86 (see Fig. 22)] secured'to the cam shaft I60. A ratchet I88 is secured to a sleeve I90 'formedas a part of a gear I92 cooperating with a pinion I94 forming part of a compound ar, the second gear I96 cooperating with a pinion I90 connected to the driving pulley 200 and mounted to turn freely on the stud shaft 202. As a result the cam shaft I66 is driven from the pulley 200 through the ratchet I90 and pawl I64, when the pawl stop. I62is withdrawn by the operationof the bucket operating shaft I10 through the connections described.

After the scale beam has made its weight at the mechanism illustrated'in detail in Figs. 2, 13 and 19 is utilized in the illustrated machine. This mechanism includes a contact member herein shown as an adjustable screw 2I2 secured in a horizontally arranged arm 2 attached to a link or bar 2I6. The contact member or screw 2I2 is adapted to engage an abutment 2I6 upon 2l6 is moved downwardly, as will be described.-

The lower end of the link slides in a bearing 222 attached to the machine frame by a bracket 224. The upper end of the link or bar is arranged to frictionaily slide within and through a housing 226 having a friction plug 228 adapted to be forced against the surface of the link or bar by an adjusting screw 236, as illustrated in Fig. 19.

The housing 226 is pivotally secured to an arm 282 depending from and secured upon a cross shaft 234, and the cross shaft is arranged to be rocked to raise and lower the parts by the action of a cam 236 mounted on the cam shaft I64 and cooperating with a cam roller 286 on an arm 246 also secured to the shaft 234 and by a spring 242, one end of which is secured-to a fixed part of the machine frame. In this manner the cam 236 operates to lift the parts and the spring 242 operates tocause their depression.

Provision is made for elongating the linkage connection when the housing 226 and link 2l6 are moved upwardly, and for this purpose a block 244 which is clamped to the lower portion of the link engages a bearing 222 so that slippage takes place in the friction connection 228 between the housing and the link during the. upward movement of the linkage. When the linkage is moved downwardly the lower end of the link is arranged to engage a stud 246 secured to and upstanding from the scale supporting platen, and on continued downward movement of the linkage slippage occurs in the friction connection between the housing and the link, so that the scale beam is brought down upon its supporting pin in an easy manner, avoiding excessive impact between the scale beam and its supporting pin. In the operation of the machine the scale beams are locked by the cam 236 at the beginning of the first cycle or bulk load period of operation and the cam 236 -is designed to hold the scale beams locked for nearly one half a revolution, that is until the initial-bulk or load has been deposited in the bucket 64. However, the cam 236 comes to rest on its high part at the end of the half revolution and before the termination of the bulk weighing period so that all the scales are unlocked at this time for the preparation of-the weighing operation. The scales .remain unlocked during the second one half revolution or drip weighing period, no locking of the scales being necessary at this-time because after the spring weight 68 is removed from the weighing end 'of the beam, the usual counterweight 62 operates to bring the beam back to weighing position. v

Provision is made for preventing the operation -of the machine after the completion of any cycle of. operationthereof until the scale beams of all of the units of the machine have made their weights, and as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 21, the mechanism for accomplishing this includes a pin' 266 projecting from one arm 252 of a bell crankfree upon the stud 254, and which is posi- 263. The second arm 26| of the bell crank is connected by a link 262 to an arm 264 secured to "a cross shaft 266 extending transversely across the machine. Upon the cross shaft 266 is secured a plurality of curved arms 268, one for each unit, and each curved arm is arranged to be disposed within a recess formed in a counterweighted member 210 free to turn upon the cross shaft 266. The counterweighted member 210 is provided with a depending portion 212 shaped to form a recess for a purpose to be described. The lower portion of the depending portion of the counterweighted member provides a bearing surface against which the contact member 214 or stud adjustably secured to the bell shaped arm H4 is adapted to contact when the bell shaped arm occupies its extreme position to the left, viewing Fig. 2. As each scale beam makes its weight,'the bell shaped arm of each unit is rocked to the right, viewing Fig. 2, but until all of the bell shaped arms of the various units have been rocked to the right, the depending portion of the counterweighted member 210 of any particular unit which has not made its weight will be held in a position to prevent the cross shaft 266 from .being rocked. When, however, all of the units have made their weights, then the weight of the parts and particularly of, the counterweights of the various counterweighted members operates through the engagement of the counterweight with the curved arms 268 to rock the shaft 266 and consequently withdraw the pawl stop 258 from the path of the pawl 266, placing the machine in condition to operate, providing the other conditions to be described are fulfilled.

In the event that any unit of the machine operates during any cycle to introduce into the buckets 64 an overload during the first part of the weighing operation, as for example, when an excessive bulk loadis thus introduced, provision is made for stopping the machine at the.

preferred form of overload safety device, and

in Figs. 16, 17, 18 and 21 I have illustrated one form of such mechanism. As therein shown the cam shaft I04 is provided with an operating cam 216 adapted to cooperate with a cam roll 218 at the end of a lever 288 pivotally mounted upon a second lever 284 secured to a cross shaft 282. t

The levers 282, 284 normally act as one arm being held in an extended position by suitable stop lugs and a spring 286 as shown. However, under certain conditions of operation, as will be described, the arm 288 is permitted to yield, as shown in Fig. 18. The cross shaft 282 is also provided with a series of latch members 286, one for each unit of the machine, secured to the cross shaft 282, and these latch members are arranged to cooperate with the depending portions of the counterweight members 210 above referred to. Referring now to Figs. 16, 17 and 18, it will be observed that at the first weighing cycle of operation of the machine the cam 216 operates to move the latch member 288 through rocking of the rock shaft 282 from the position shown in Fig. 16 to that shown in Fig. 1'7, unless the scale has balanced prematurely, in which case the latch member will have caught in the recess 286 in the depending portion of the counterweight member, so that as the cam continues to revolveythe end of the cam arm 288 pivots into the position shown in Fig. 18, the spring 286 yielding at this time. --The latch member 288 holds'the cross shaft 266 from rocking and prevents the machine from being started upon its next cycle of operation. Referring now to Fig. 10, a second pawl 268, is provided which is arranged to engage the teethof a second ratchet 265 at the end of each revolutionof the clutch to prevent the reversal or backlash of the driving members when the pawl stops are actuated. Normally the pawl 259 is disengaged by a roll 261'mounted on a lever 269 which is also urged into a, depression 211 in the disc 365 by a spring 213. r

The weighing machine is driven from a motor 322,,as best shown in Fig. 3, through connections includinga belt 324, a pulley 326 on-the motor shaft 328, and large pulley 266 on the countershaft 202. The countershaft 262 is also provided with a smaller pulley 334 which is connected by a belt 336 to a pulley 338' on a drive shaft 340. fluted feeding drum 46 in the same direction but at difierent speeds from the drive shaft 346. In the operation of the machine the fluted feed drum 46 is rotated at a relatively high speed during the first or bulk weighing operation, and then its speed is automatically reduced, herein shown to half its high speedwhen the second or final weighing operation is taking place. As shown in Fig. 2, the feed drum is connected by sprockets 342, 344 and a chain 345 to a hopper drive shaft 346, and the latter is arranged to be driven from the driving shaft 346 at either high or low speeds by two independent sets of gear trains arranged to be automatically connected at the proper time in the operation of the machine to the drive shaft 346 by clutchmembers indicated generally at 341. Referring now to Figs. 9 and 11, the drive shaft 346 is provided with a pinion 346 fast thereon which is arranged 'to mesh with an idler gear 356 and drives therethrough to a spur gear 352 mounted upon a sleeve 354 free on the cam shaft I64. The sleeve is thus driven continuously from the drive shaft 346 and the sleeve is provided with a movable double clutch member 356 arranged to slide thereon but to be rotated thereby, as for. example, by the usual key 356 and keyway. The double clutch member 356, as herein shown, is provided with teeth on the opposite surfaces thereof, and when moved to the right, viewing Fig. 9, is arranged to engage the driven member 366 of a clutch having a gear 362 formed integrally therewith. The gear 362 is arranged to mesh with a larger gear 364 upon the hopper drive shaft 346, and through connections described, when the clutch member is moved to the right, the rotations of the sleeve are transmitted through the clutch and thence through the gears to the hopper drive shaft. when the movable clutch member is moved to the left, viewing Fig. 9, the th upon theleft-hand surface thereof coo ate with the teeth of a drivenmember 366 of a second clutch. The driven member is provided with a gear 368 formed integra y therewith arranged to mesh 'witha second gear 316 secured on the hopper driveshaft 346. The gearing ratio between the gears 362, 364, 366, 316, is such that .when the clutch 356 is moved to the left the clutch from engagement first to the left and then to the right to engage the respective driven members of the two clutches, and as herein shown ,a cam 312 fixed on the cam shaft I64 cooperates with a cam roller 314 on a bell crank 316, the

Provision is made for driving the aaoaeso se%ond arm in of which is connected by a spring 366 to a fixed part of the machine frame and the bell crank is provided with a depending portion comprising a yoke 382 arranged to straddle the movable member of the clutch and the peak connected thereto by the usual pivot pins 364, so that upon oscillation of the bell crank by the cam the desired movements may be imparted to the movable member of the clutch to drive the V hopper drive shaft, first at high-speed and then at low speed. Provision is made for starting the rotation of the fluted feed drum 46 at the beginning of each cycle of operation of the machine -and for stoppin the rotation when the scale has made its weight. As herein shown, see

Figs. 7 and 13, the sprocket 344 is provided withclutch teeth 35I and forms the driven member 353 of a clutch slidably keyed to the shaft 346 and the driven member 353 isarranged to engage the teeth 355 of a driving member 351 of the clutch which is keyed fast to the shaft 346;

arm 4. A depending extension 311 on the sec-' and arm 365 is provided with a spring stud 313 and a spring 316 connected to a'stud-311 in the arm I14 yieldingly urges .the levers H4 and 365 together. When the scale has made its weight at each cycle of operation, the lever H4 is released, as hereinbefore described, and as illustrated in Fig. 13, this action will pivot the bell crank 353 counter-clockwise 'to disengage the clutch members 353, 351. When the lever H4 is reset. the spring .316 will cause the bell crank '353 to pivot clockwise and yieldingly urge the clutch members353 and 351 into engagement to drive the fluted drum 49. It will therefore be seen that material is fed through the hopper chamber 12,, only when the lever H4 is in its locked pomtion and while the scale is weighing.

From the description thus far, -it will be observed that in the operation of the machine at the end of any cycle of operation the scale beam will have been unlocked and placed in a condition ready to weigh. When starting the machine the pawl stop 256is withdrawn preferably by 7 manual-movement of one arm 243 of the toggle through the operator raisingthe starting rod 246. The pawl stop 256 is withdrawn from the path of the pawl 266 mounted upon a pawl carrier 365 having a gear 366 secured thereto, see Fig. 12, which is arranged to mesh with agear 366 upon the cam shaft 164. In the illustrated machine, the ratio of gearing between the gears 366, 366 is such as to cause the cam shaft I34 to-revolve through a half revolution at each revolution of the pawl carrier 335 and as pre- 4 viously pointed out each half revolution of the cam shaft is equivalent to one cycle of operation. Provision is made, as has been described,

for opening the gates 56 to permit the introduction of the bulk load into the weighing bucket,

"and this operation is performed through mechanism including a gate opening cam 3, see

Fig. 20, upon the cam shaft 164. When the scale beam has made its first weight, thegate is permitted to'close as above described, and is then reopened to initiate the-drip stream from the drip conduit while maintaining thebulk load conduit closed. During the half revolution of the cam shaft the spring 88 is detached from the scale beam 80, thereby causing the entire counterweight 82 to be free to depress the counterweight end of the scale beam, and accordingly it is unnecessary to positively lock the I scale beam at this time. During continued operation of the machine the-drip stream continues to fall into the weighing bucket 54 until this final weight is reachedfand upon completion of the second weighing operation the pawl stop 258. is withdrawn from the pawl 250 and the cam arranged to be inserted into the path of the tall of the single pawl 250 controlling the starting and stopping of the machine. One of the pawl stops 258 as previously described is connected with a hand control'lever 330, and is adapted to be withdrawn from the path of the tail of the pawl by hand. However, in order to start the machine it is necessary that the second pawl stop 382 be also withdrawnfrom the path of the tail of the pawl 280, and one of the toggle arms 394 is connected by'a link 395 to an arm 398 on a cross shaft 400 and the latter has secured to it a second arm 402 provided with a roll 404 which is adapted to slip into a recess 408 in a disk 408 formed upon one end of a hub 4I0 secured at its upper .end to a rotary containerengaging member H2. The latter as herein shown comprises a star wheel provided with six points, one for each weighing unit. The locking roll 404 is urged against the disk 408 and caused to enter the recess 406'in the periphery thereof by a spring 4, see Fig. 23, and is arranged to be withdrawn simultaneously with the withdrawal of a positive lock for the disk and star wheel by the rocking of the shaft MS from a cam 4I8 through a cam roll 420 mounted upona lever 422 clamped to the shaft H5. The.

shaft 8 has secured to it a short arm 424 arranged to engage a pin 425 on a short arm 428 secured to the shaft 400. The shaft 4 I6 is also provided with a locking lever, 432, the end of which is upturned and arranged to cooperate with a lug 434 on the underside of the disk 408 to positively lock the star' wheel 2 and parts from being rotated by the engagement with the con-' tainers as the latter are urged forwardly by the operation of the conveyor, as will be described. When the shaft 4I6 is rotated to withdraw the locking member 432 from the lug 434 on themderside of thedisk 408 and also to withdraw the supplemental locking roll 404 from its re- V cess 400, provision is made for preventing the operation of the weighing mechanism of the ing mechanism, including the supplemental lockmg roll m is moved into the recess m in the disk 408 the reverse operation takes place and the spring 4 operates through the link 398 to break the toggle upwardly, withdrawing the sec-' entire number of filled packages corresponding to the number of units in the machine, have been removed from, and in addition a similar number of empty packages properly positioned, beneath, the discharge chutes from the various units of the machine. The packages are moved through the machine by aconveyor herein shown as comprising a pair of spaced narrow belts 500, 502 running overpulleys 504, 505, one of which is driven by a chain 508 from a driving sprocket 508 attached to the gear I82 (Fig. 22). The chain 506 runs over a driven sprocket 5I0 on the end of a stud shaft 5I2, and the latter is connected by gears 5| 4, 5I8 to a second stud shaft 5I6 connected by bevel gears 520, 522 to the pulley shaft 524. Provision is made for elevating the containers, when in filling positions, to thereby lift them from the belts .during the plunging opera- ;tion above described, and'also, in order to assist in providing a tight joint between the mouth of the containers I45 and the discharge chutes I42.

As herein shown, an operating lever-528 free on the rock shaft I52 is arranged to be rocked by a cam 528 and cam roll 530, and spring 532 and is connected by a connecting rod 534 to one arm of a bell crank 538, the second am 538 of which is connected by a link 540 to an elevator bar 542 engaging the bottom of the containers and which is capable of passing between the narrow belts 500, 502 of the conveyor. A similar linkage, lever 545 and link 548, is provided at the other end of the elevator bar 542, and two linkages being connected together by 2'. connecting rod 544 and levers SM, 543 secured to the shafts 541, 549. As a result of the four bar linkage produced, substantially straight line motion is imparted to the elevator bar 542. The arms 538, 545 and links 540, 546 cooperate to form in effect toggles to withstand theplungin'g pressure. As illustrated, the spring 532 serves to elevate the elevator bar 542 and the earn 528 to break the toggles to depress the elevator bar.

Any usual or preferred form of electrical contact may be utilized in connecting the electromagnets I28 for operating the machine when the scale beam 60 makes its weight. As illustrated in Figs. -14 and 15, the several contact members upon the end of the scale beams 50 and the corresponding electro-magnets are arranged in parallel between the usual power lines, and the arrangement of contact members is such that when the scale beams make "their weights they open the circuits at the contact members 204, operating to de-energize the electro-magnets I 28 and permitfluence of the heavy coil springs 208 connected to the bell shaped arms '4 above described. Inasmuch as the details of the contact members form no part of the present invention, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Briefly, the operation .of the illustrated machine may be summarized as follows: Assuming that the machine is supplied with material and all the scales are in readiness for weighing, the

v operator lifts the starting lever 249 to withdraw the manually operated pawl stop 258. This action will start the first cycle of operation, perting the operating arms I28 to drop under the indrum 49; the shutter 56 is opened to its wide openposition as shown in Fig. 2 and releases its accumulated contents into the bucket 84; the scale 7 locking mechanism is released to free the scale 15 beam for weighing directly after the accumulated load is dumped; and the spring weight 63 is exerting its influenceon the weighing end of the scale beam 60. The fluted drum 49 continues to feed material into the bucket 84 until the scale is :20 overbalanced. whereupon the circuit to the magnetic coil I28 is opened and the lever H4 is released to unlatch-the shutter 56 and throw out the clutch 353, 351, to stop the rotation of the feeding drum 49. When all the scales have made their 25 weights, the pawl stop 258 is withdrawn to permit the pawl and ratchet clutch 280, 263 to make a another revolution and rotate the cam shaft [84 one half a revolution'for the second cycle of theweighing operation. During the second cycle, the

80 lever H4 is again reset and the fluted drum 49 is rotated to feed material at a reduced speed. The scale beam is relieved of its spring weight 66 and again assumes weighing position to receive the drip stream or finished weight from the hopper.

During the second cycle the shutter is partially opened to permit goods to flow from the drip chamber l4 while the-bulk chamber i2 accumulates material for the succeeding weighing operation. The dripstream continues to flow 49 until the scale has made its weight whereupon the electrical circuit to the coil I22 is again opened to release the lever I I4 and the shutter 56 is again closed and the fluted drum stops its rotation. When all the scales have made their a weights the controlling mechanism again operates to remove the pawl stop 258 from the one revolution clutch 260, 283, and a new cycle of operation is started as above described.

The operation of the plungers I44 and the feed- 50 ing of 'a new set of containers I 45 into the machine is initiated at the beginning of the first cycle of operations by withdrawal of the pawl stop I82 from. the plunger operating clutch I84,-

I88 and the latter mechanism is so timed that the plungers I44 follow the material directly after the-dumping operation. The plungers then. re-

turn to their normal positions and the elevated contain are lowered to the moving conveyor belts 500, 02 which carry thefllled-set of con- Y go tainers away and advance a new set into position to receive the material when the buckets 64 are again opened. When the containers have been thus positioned the pawl. stop connection 393 from the conveyor withdraws the second pawl s5 stop392 and the machine is in readiness for its second cycle of operations.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be em- 7 bodied in other forms within the scope'of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is: v 1. In a weighing machine, in combination, a 15 scale including a scale beam, means for deliver- .s,aov,ee s

'ing a bulk stream and a drip stream onto the scale, means for counter-balancing the scale beam so ,that said scale beam will be depressed when a predetermined weight of material has been deposited thereomcontrol mechanism actuated by one depression of the scale beam to entirely cut oil the bulk stream and thereafter start the delivery of the drip stream, said control mechabeing actuated by alternate depressions of the scale beam to entirely stop the drip stream and thereafter start the bulk stream and means for increasing the effective counter-balance oi. the scale beam after the bulk weighing whereby the scale beam is returned to its pie-depressed position to weigh the next drip load. l5

2. A weighing machine having, in combination, material feeding means including means for delivering a bulk stream and a .drip stream, a scale including a scale beam onto which the material is delivered to perform the weighing operation,

means for controlling the flow of material onto the scale operatively connected with the scale beamto cut off both the bulk and the drip streams when the scale beam has been moved from an initial position through a predetermined move-.

ment, means for increasing the effective counterweight by a predetermined amount when a predetermined point has been reached in thejmovement of the scale beam whereby to permit the scale beam to return to its initial position, means operatively connected with said flow controlling means for initiating the flow of the dripstream when the efiective counterweight is increased, said flow controlling means being operative to cut on said drip stream when the scale beam has been movgd through a predetermined amount of movemen 3. A weighing machine having; combina- 'tion, material feeding means for delivering a bulk stream and a drip'stream, a scale including 4. a scalebeam onto which the material is delivered to perform the weighing operation, means for controlling the flow of material onto the. scale operatively connected with the scale beam to cut ofl'both the bulk and the drip streams .46 when the scale beam has been moved from an initial position through a predetermined movement, means for increasing the effective counter-weight by a predetermined amount when a predetermined point has been reached in the movement of the scale beam whereby to permit the scale beam to return to'its initial position, means operatively connected with said flow controlling means for initiating the flow of the drip stream when the eflective counterweight is increased, said flow controlling means being operative to cut on said drip stream when the scale 'beam has been moved through a predetermined amount of movement, and means for-automatically initiating said bulk and drip streams at the start of the next cycle of operation-of the ma- .chine.

.4. A weighing machine having, in combination, a scale including ascale beam provided with a counterweight, means 'fordelivering a bulk stream and-a drip stream onto the weighing and of the scale. a sp n: cooperating with the scale beam during one portion of its weighing move ment for decreasing the effect ofthe counterweight upon the scale beam by a predetermined amount, means for cutting oi! the flow of both the bulk stream and the drip stream when the scale beam has moved into predetermined position, means rendered operative by the movement of the scale beam into such predetermined flposition for removing the eflect of the spring from the scale beam, whereby to increase the effective counterweight and permit the scale beam to return to its initial position, and means operatively connected with said flow cut-off means for initiating the flow of the drip stream when the effective counterweight is increased,

said flow cut-off means being operative to cut off the drip stream upon another movement of the scale beam.

5. A weighing machine having, in combination, a scale including a scale beam provided with a counterweight, means for delivering a bulk stream and a drip stream onto the weighing end of the scale, a spring cooperating with the scale beam during one portion of its weighing movement for" decreasing the effect of the counterweight upon the scale beam by a predetermined amount, means for cutting off the flow of both the bulk stream and thedrip stream-when the scale beam has moved into predetermined position, means rendered operative by the movement of the scale beam'into such predetermined position for removing the effect of the spring from the scale beam, whereby to increase the effective counterweight and permit the scale beam to return to its initial position, means operatively connected with said flow cut-oil? means for initiating the flow of the drip stream when the effective counterweight is increased, said flow cut-off means being operative to cut off the drip stream upon another predeterminedamount of weighing movement of the scale beam, and means for automatically initiating the bulk' and drip streams.

6. A weighing machine having, in combination, a plurality of weighing units, each including a scale including a scale beam, material feeding' means including means for feeding a bulk stream, and means for feeding a drip stream onto the weighing end of the scale, means for increasing the effective counterweight when the weighing end of the scale beam has moved through a predetermined downward movement,

.- whereby to permit the. scale beam to return to its initial position, means rendered operative by said downward movement for cutting off both the bulk and the drip streams and for initiating the flow of said drip stream when the effective counterweight is increased, means for cutting off the drip stream when the weighing end of the scale beam has moved through another downward movement, and manually operated means operatively connected to said counterweight increasing means for simultaneously adjustably varying the effective counterweights of the several scale beams.

'7. A weighing machine of the type operating in, bulk and drip stream cycles having, in combination, a scale including a. scale beam provided with a counterweight for one of said cycles,

material feeding m'eans, means for increasing the effective counterweight during the other cycle to permit said scale beam to return to its initial position after said one cycle, and mechanically bulk stream, and 7 means for feeding a drip V stream onto the weighing end of the scale. mechanically operated means for increasing the effective counterweight when the weighing end of the scale beam has moved through a predetermined downward movement to return the scale to its initial position, means rendered operative by said downward movement for cutting oil both the bulk stream and the drip stream and for initiating the flow of said drip stream when the effective counterweight is increased, means for cutting oil the drip stream when the weighing end of the scale beam has moved through another downward movement, and manually oper-.

ated m'eans operatively connected to said counterweight increasing means for adjustably varying the effective counterweight.

9. A weighing machine having, in combination, a scale including a scale beam provided with a counterweight, material feeding means for feeding a bulk stream and a drip stream onto the scale, an intermittently rotating control shaft, meanscontrolled by the scale beam for initiating the rotation of said intermittently rotating control shaft to start each cycle of operation of the machine, means operatively connecting said control shaft and said material feeding means whereby the latter is caused to feed a bulk stream during one cycle of operation and a drip stream during the second cycle of operation, and means for increasing the effective counterweight during the second cycle of operation when the scale beam has moved through a definite increment of movement, said last named means being operatively connected to and controlled by said intermittently rotating control shaft.

10. In a weighing machine, in combination, a scale including a scale beam, a bulk stream conduit, a drip stream conduit, and a single feeding-member comprising a fluted drum for delivering material into the bulk and drip stream conduits and onto said scale, said conduits being arranged adjacent to one another and with relation to said fluted drum whereby the material being delivered from both conduits merge so as to form a-single combine stream during one period of operation of the machine and means for cutting oil the bulk stream whereby a reduced stream of material is formed during another period of operation of the machine.

11. In a weighing machine, in combination, a

- scale including a scale beam, a drip stream conduit, a bulk stream conduit, a single driven feed member comprising a fluted drum for supplying material to both conduits and onto said scale, said conduits being arranged adjacent to one another and with relation'to said fluted drum whereby the bulk stream and the drip stream are merged during one period of operation, means for cutting off the merged stream of material, said last named means being operative to permit the drip stream alone to flow onto the scale during another portion of operation, said fluted drum being operative to accumulate a portion of the next succeeding bulk load in the bulk stream conduit during the interval that the drip stream alone is being delivered onto the scale beam.

12. In a weighing machine, in combination, a scale including a scale beam, a drip stream conduit, a bulk stream conduit, positively operated means including a fluted drum for supplying material to both conduits and onto said scale, said conduits .being' arranged adjacent to one another and'with relation to said fluted drum whereby the bulk stream and the drip stream are merged 

